HanesBrands (asi/59528) and Staples, Inc., parent company of Top 40 distributor Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601), are doing their part to operate more sustainably, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Announced this week, the EPA awarded both companies with Energy Star Sustained Excellence/Partner of the Year awards. Recipients earn the honor through enacting successful initiatives focused on energy conservation, reducing carbon emissions and environmental sustainability.

“I applaud the 2019 Energy Star Award Winners,” said Bill Wehrum, the EPA’s assistant administrator for Air and Radiation. “Their innovation and leadership enhance America’s economic competitiveness. Reducing costly energy waste improves air quality and public health while protecting the environment.”

In an announcement, Winston-Salem, NC-based HanesBrands provided insight on 2018 initiatives/achievements that helped it earn its 10th consecutive annual Energy Star award.

For instance, renewable energy sources accounted for 41% of the company’s energy usage, surpassing its 2020 goal of 40%. HanesBrands’ increased utilization of its biomass facilities in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, along with use of hydro and geothermal energy, fueled an 8-percentage-point increase in use of renewable energy compared to 2017.

Also, HanesBrands managed a 23% reduction in energy use per pound of production versus its 2007 baseline, and a 2% reduction from 2017. The company’s 2020 goal is to reduce energy use by 40%. Among other accomplishments, HanesBrands also achieved a 36% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions versus its 2007 baseline, nearly reaching its 2020 goal of 40% reduction.

Meanwhile, Framingham, MA-based Staples’ Energy Star accomplishments in 2018 included achieving 1.6% energy savings across its portfolio, with an average reduction of 5% in electricity use since 2015. Staples also delivered more than 11 million kWh of energy savings by completing a multi-year LED lighting retrofit of its stores. Additionally, Staples recruited company volunteers to educate more than 1,200 students about the necessity of energy efficiency and promoting Energy Star.

The EPA introduced Energy Star in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased efficiency. The annual Energy Star Partner of the Year award honors organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protect the environment through best practices and organization-wide energy savings.